Jammu, July 25: The Court of the 2nd Additional Sessions Judge Jammu, Anoop Kumar Sharma, has taken serious exception to the failure of Police Station Miran Sahib to produce a pen drive containing CCTV footage, describing it as a crucial piece of evidence in an ongoing criminal trial. The Court also expressed strong displeasure over the handling of its earlier warrant by the police authorities and warned of strict action for continued non-compliance.
The observations came during the hearing of the case titled UT of J&K through Police Station Miran Sahib, Jammu versus Bavneet Singh and others, where the Court noted that despite repeated directions, the digital evidence had not been produced before it by the concerned police officials.
During the proceedings, Inspector Azad Manhas, the then Station House Officer (SHO) of Police Station Miran Sahib and presently posted at District Police Lines (DPL) Kathua, appeared before the Court in compliance with a bailable warrant. He informed the Court that although he had served as the Investigating Officer in the case, he had been transferred from Police Station Miran Sahib in February 2026.
Inspector Manhas further submitted that the pen drive containing the CCTV footage had been retained in the Malkhana (police store room) of Police Station Miran Sahib at the time of his transfer and was therefore not in his possession.
Taking a serious view of the matter, the Court criticised the manner in which its earlier bailable warrant against the present SHO of Police Station Miran Sahib had been dealt with. The Court observed that instead of being executed in accordance with law, the warrant had been repeatedly marked among subordinate officers before eventually reaching the same officer against whom it was meant to be executed.
Describing the conduct of the police authorities as “callous and casual”, Judge Anoop Kumar Sharma remarked that such handling of court orders had reduced the judicial process to a “mockery” and reflected an unacceptable approach towards compliance with judicial directions.
The Court directed that the matter be brought to the notice of the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Jammu, asking the district police chief to take appropriate remedial measures to ensure proper execution of court orders in future.
In the meantime, the Court issued a fresh arrest warrant of ₹10,000 against the present SHO of Police Station Miran Sahib and directed that the warrant be executed under the direct supervision of the SSP Jammu. The SHO has been ordered to appear before the Court on the next date of hearing along with the required pen drive containing the CCTV footage.
The Court further cautioned that any failure to comply with its directions would leave it with no option but to initiate appropriate legal proceedings for non-compliance and disobedience of court orders.
The case has now been listed for further hearing on August 6, 2026.(KNC)
